Author: staff

The ceasefire stopped the Israeli military campaign much sooner than Israel wanted, and left Netanyahu’s government with no choice but to go along.Even as Israelis were worried that the U.S. deal fell far short of Israel’s requirements, few publicly criticized President Donald Trump, who is broadly popular here.Zvika Foghel, a far-right lawmaker in Netanyahu’s governing coalition and chair of the Knesset National Security Committee, offered a rare critique.“Donald, you came out a duck,” he said in a morning social media post, using Hebrew slang for looking weak. He later deleted it.Mote Levi, 65, who works in a convenience shop a…

Sánchez also called for the European Union to suspend its Association Agreement with Israel and for Lebanon to be included in the ceasefire between Iran, the U.S. and Israel that was announced on Tuesday evening. His concerns are shared by some at the European Commission, too. Commissioner Hadja Lahbib wrote on X: “Today’s brutal attacks by [Israel] on [Lebanon], which have left more than 100 dead – with the toll still rising – and over 700 wounded, are an outrage.” And it’s not just Israel’s frequent detractors. Numerous European governments have tried to dissuade Israel from pursuing its ground operation…

Published on 08/04/2026 – 8:20 GMT+2•Updated 18:53 A US airman rescued after his fighter jet was shot down over Iran is being treated at a military hospital in Germany, according to several US media outlets. The weapons systems officer was taken to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Rhineland-Palatinate, the reports said. US President Donald Trump confirmed the rescue but said the airman, a colonel, was “seriously wounded”. Tehran shot down an F-15E fighter jet with a two-man crew last week during the Iran war. Both servicepeople survived the crash. The weapons systems officer was initially listed as missing but was…

Iranian state media reported later Wednesday that Tehran will soon close the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway for the global transit of oil, in response to Israel’s Lebanon strikes.The developments underscore the fragility of the temporary peace agreement Trump announced on Tuesday, as Iran insists Lebanon be included in the framework and both the president and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu argue it remains fair game for Israel Defense Forces attacks. “The Iran–U.S. Ceasefire terms are clear and explicit: the U.S. must choose — ceasefire or continued war via Israel,” Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said in a…

Indonesia has deported a British national arrested on the resort island of Bali last month for alleged transnational drug trafficking and money laundering in Spain, immigration officials said on Wednesday. The 45-year-old, identified only by his initials SL, was arrested at Bali’s Ngurah Rai International Airport last month after arriving from Singapore, after officers noticed he was on Interpol’s wanted list. He was flown to Jakarta on Tuesday, and then on to Amsterdam, Bali immigration office said in a statement, referring to the man as a “mafia boss.” “We will not allow Indonesian territory, especially Bali, to become a hideout…

Published on 08/04/2026 – 21:02 GMT+2 A dealer dubbed the “Ketamine Queen” who sold the drugs that killed “Friends” star Matthew Perry was jailed for 15 years by a California court on Wednesday. Jasveen Sangha, 42, was one of five people charged over the death of the Canadian-American actor, who was found unresponsive in the hot tub of his luxury Los Angeles home in 2023. Sangha, who is a dual citizen of the United States and Britain, has been in federal custody since August 2024. Perry, 54, had openly struggled for decades with addictions, but had appeared to colleagues to…

Her office reinforced that message on Tuesday, stressing alignment with European partners on the need to “preserve civilian infrastructure,” following Trump’s repeated threats to target Iranian power plants and bridges. At the end of March, Italy refused to allow a U.S. bomber mission to land at a base in Sicily en route to the Middle East, though Meloni stressed that the episode did not represent a conflict with Washington. A bit of conflict with Washington might not go amiss, though. Meloni’s allies see her previously rosy relationship with Trump as a liability, blaming it for the referendum loss. “Until [the…

Published on 08/04/2026 – 20:30 GMT+2 After years of working closely on EU migration files and spending hours in tense committee meetings, this week MEPs Juan Fernando López Aguilar and Lena Düpont meet on The Ring. Vehemently opposed on how to handle EU asylum procedures, they took completely different stances on the recent EU reform that would allow EU member states to establish so-called “migration return hubs” in third countries. The measure, voted on 26 March, would see rejected asylum seekers be transferred to external facilities outside EU borders while awaiting return to their country of origin. Supporters say it…

Participants gathered at an “Offline Club” event in Amsterdam, handing in their smartphones before taking part in a two-hour session focused on creative and social activities. The event took place in the Posthoornkerk, where attendees engaged in writing, crafting and listening to live piano music. Organisers say the initiative aims to encourage people to disconnect from digital devices and focus on reflection and real-world interaction. The concept, launched in 2024, has expanded to multiple cities across Europe. Participants described the experience as a break from constant screen use, while a researcher in Utrecht said many apps are designed to keep…

Added to the fact that Europe’s energy bills will likely remain elevated for weeks or even months if the ceasefire holds, and the trend becomes clear: Europe is having to pay ever more just to remain part of a transatlantic alliance that has become highly unpredictable. “It’s a pattern,” said Nacho Sánchez Amor, a Spanish socialist lawmaker who sits on the European Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs. “In Gaza, we will pay for reconstruction. In Ukraine, we’re paying for the war — basically alone at this point. Now we might have to pay to clear the Strait of Hormuz.” He…